Forum for the 42

Directors from every Inuvialuit Settlement Region community corporation united for a week of discussions in Inuvik this February. It was a chance for community leaders to catch up with each other and devise better ways they can serve their people’s needs. For some, such as Patrick “Dang” Gruben, chair of the Inuvialuit Development Corporation, it was one of many meetings about a similar subject. For others, such as Chukita Gruben, a director with the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation, it was an early foray into politics.

We collected thoughts from the above two about their perspectives on what’s needed in the ISR.

Chukita Gruben

My name is Chukita Gruben. I am 23 years old and I come from Tuktoyaktuk. I sit on the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation board as a director.

As a young adult who was born and raised most of my life in the ISR, I experienced many barriers and knew because of so many setbacks that taking every opportunity and working to gain experience was an advantage to help me leave home to go to school in the south. Little did I know then as a youth that all these opportunities and chances I took would lead me to where I am today.

Sitting on the TCC board now for a little over a year has taught me a lot about being in a political role and how important it is to be the voice for your people to make a change, but also to know your staff, what they do, know the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and oversee the big picture of our goals and mission to ensure we as a board are steering the community corporations and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in the right direction.

Currently from my perspective, as a new leader who observes and takes all point of views into respectful consideration, yet also a resident who experiences the day-to-day and hears out her people and strongly feels for their struggles, I’m led to believe we need to engage ourselves more with the residents and especially youth, to include them more in our field of work, as we are the ones in power, to see what is and what’s not working.

As a leader and role model, I find it essential to take that first step to hear them out and understand what their needs are in order to work with them, to find where are the gaps and how we can help them in our power to make change, because the people in the ISR need more supportive role models and people to encourage them, to showcase their successes as Inuvialuit and build their self-confidence.

At the meeting, for the first time youth were included and had a voice, which spoke of these exact things, and spoke of more mental health and wellness support, and proper support in resources, which means education is key and to have a more Northern approach to our unique way of living for programming.

Change and speaking up is not easy. It takes courage and work, but if we empower our people and make them realize we’re not stuck and limited, but capable of so much (thanks to our IFA), we Inuvialuit people can work together with what we have, use our voice and flourish with the big backyard of land and country that we live in, which is rich in resources and can be used to fit our modern yet traditional lifestyle.

That means to never forget our cultural values with the land, water, wildlife and people, but to also build capacity, develop the economy and invest more in our Inuvialuit people.

Patrick “Dang” Gruben

It’s always great to see a young upcoming leader (Chukita Gruben) come out of her shell and start speaking out at a big meeting like the 42 Directors.

It takes a lot of courage for a youngster. She hit a lot of points that we’re actually working on. I just want to encourage her to keep it up. We know a lot of the issues that the youth are having, especially at her age.

What she talked about yesterday is we have to showcase some of our successes as Inuvialuit.

As a leader of the IDC, I am a strong believer in that. I really want to promote our own beneficiaries who have made a career and some of the challenges that they had.

I always say that we’re the ones that have to come out and motivate our youngsters.

I was just a young man, old enough to vote when we were voting for the land claim. The question I asked was what is in it for me? The answer they gave me was it’s going to

make it better for me when I grow up. I always took that to heart and said let’s make it work.

The biggest message is education. You want to get more involved, you want to learn, education is key. It makes you understand what we’re talking about, the goals we’re trying to achieve.

Someone with education understands it more easily than just picking it up on your own. There are some words and some terms that you have to understand in the business world, where I come from, and it’s not easy. On the way, you’ve got to ask questions so you understand yourself. Also, get to know and understand the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

Don’t let peer pressure get to you. A lot of times people in the younger ages, when they’re going into something new, their peers say, “Oh, you think you’re too good.”

No, if you want to make an improvement for yourself and others you represent, go for it.